How Do You Know
by Sharptooth
Summary: AU. Sitting at his best friend's kitchen table, Harry asks her mother a life changing question. Harry/Hermione Now going to be a 3-part story. Chapter 2 up...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling

**How Do You Know?**

Jean Granger sat at the kitchen table and considered the young man that sat in front of her. He seemed to be contemplating the table top rather seriously. He was quite a sight, truth be told. He had wild, unkempt black hair that categorically refused to behave. There was a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, and he wore an eye patch over his right eye. If the scarring around the patch were any indicator, he had earned the right to wear the patch in a very gruesome manner.

This was the young man who had shown up with Hermione to collect them in Australia. After Hermione had restored their memories, they had been introduced softly to the one person that they had heard more about from their daughter than anyone else. Harry Potter had come to their home.

She glanced across into the other room. Hermione was asleep in a recliner, her face relaxed at last. There had been some rather drastic changes in their daughter as well. She was a couple of inches shorter than they remembered, and the horrific scar across her throat spoke of a lesson in selective violence. Then there were the ears…

Hermione had explained to them, well Hermione and Harry had explained to them that they had taken part in a war in the wizarding world. It had been Harry and his forces against a Dark Lord who for some reason wanted Harry dead. She shuddered to think that they could have lost their little girl, and the saddest part was that they wouldn't have even realized it.

It was then that she realized that Harry had asked her something. "What was that Harry?" she inquired, ashamed that she had been lost in her own thoughts.

"How do you know when you're in love?" Harry repeated.

Jean Granger sat back and considered the young man. From what Hermione had told them over the years, Harry had no experience with love. He had been raised by abusive relatives who hated his very existence. That he had Hermione in his life seemed to be the one thing that kept Harry grounded.

"Harry," she started, "when you're in love you can't seem to be at peace unless you are with the person that you love. You think about their happiness more than your own. You want nothing more than to see them happy, to see the smile, and when they do, it is the bright shining light of your world. You would do anything to make them happy, even if it meant giving them up, or sacrificing yourself for them"

Harry nodded. He seemed to be taking all of it in. "So how long have you felt that way about my daughter?" she asked softly. He started when the words sunk in.

"Erm… for a long time now. Years at least. I think quite possibly since first year." He looked at the woman that so reminded him of his Hermione.

Jean reached out and gently took one of Harry's hands in her own. It surprised her just how calloused it was. "Can you tell me what happened to the two of you? How did you get hurt so badly. I see how you walk, Harry. Only a serious injury makes a man walk with such a profound limp."

Harry sighed. He seemed to be going through some sort of internal debate. Finally he nodded. "We were almost done with our quest. We had just finished destroying a series of magical artifacts that were keeping Voldemort, the Dark Lord, tethered to this world. We were searching for him when we found someone else.

"There was this very dark wizard who was also a werewolf. His name was Fenrir Greyback. He was responsible for the biting of a very large number of children, making them into monsters like himself. Anyway, Hermione and I came across him patrolling around the grounds of the Manor where Voldemort had hidden himself. To tell the truth, he surprised us.

"Unlike most wizards, Greyback liked to be physically violent. He was inhumanly fast, so fast that I couldn't defend myself when he struck. He slashed my hamstring with a cursed blade. There is no cure for such a wound. While I was writhing on the ground, he jumped on top of me and did this to me." He motioned to his eye.

"How?" she asked, almost afraid of what the answer would be.

"With his teeth. He bit my eye right out of my head. I've never known such agony."

"You're not going to become like him?" she asked. "Are you?"

"No," Harry answered. He wasn't transformed at the time. The wound is tainted though. Another permanent reminder of what we've been through. Anyway, Hermione had recovered her wand from where Greyback had knocked it from her, and she blasted him off of me. We were just about to escape when He flung another dagger at us. Hermione took it in the throat. I disapparated us out of there, but I had no supplies, and I wasn't skilled at healing." He looked at Jean, a grave expression on his face.

"When we got to where we were going, I almost gave up hope. Hermione was critically injured, and I was in complete agony from my own wounds. It was then that they found us."

"Who?"

"Two house elves, Dobby and Winky. They had been looking for us for a long time. We had been warding our location, and we had gotten so good at it that it was even keeping the elves from finding us. I hadn't had time to put up wards this time, and I don't even think that I could have if I had thought of it. I was really hurt."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Hermione was dying, and there was nothing I could do about it." Jean let out a gasp. "Winky saw how much I was suffering over it, and she decided to do something about it. House elves have very powerful magic. They have a lot of restrictions on what they can do with it, but their magic is among the most powerful in the world.

"Winky healed her. She did it by giving her magic to Hermione." There were tears streaming down Harry's cheek now. "A house elf cannot live without her magic. Winky sacrificed herself to save 'Mione. I watched one friend die that another might live. I've hated myself since then, because Merlin help me, I was actually happy that Winky had died…"

"Oh Harry, I had no idea…"

"The dagger damaged Hermione's voice box," Harry said quietly. She can't talk above a whisper. "And, she's become more elfin in appearance. Surely you've noticed…"

Jean nodded. She had to admit that Hermione was very nicely proportioned, waif-like but with cute curves. She had shrunk a little, and seemed even more dainty. Her face was a little more angular now, and she had the cutest little pointed tips to her ears. Her hair, which had been so bushy before, now hung down in ringlets along her back.

She looked over at her daughter. The poor young woman had been through so much, but she had returned to them, alive. It was more than many parents could say. She looked at Harry. "Have you told her?" Harry shook his head no.

"You must tell her Harry, she needs to know how you feel."

"I can't. I'm damaged goods. Who would want to be with me now?" He looked so miserable.

"So is she," Jean whispered. "And I know that she'd want you. After all, you want her…" She motioned over to her daughter. "Go, wake her, tell her that you want to have lots of little Harrys and Hermiones running around. She'll not reject you, I know."

Harry nodded mutely. Like a man who had no control over himself, he rose stiffly from the table, to limp over to the recliner where Hermione lay. He knelt down next to her and once again he seemed to be fighting an internal battle. He finally leaned over and lightly kissed her on the lips.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She looked at her best friend, her eyes meeting his one good one. She raised her eyebrows at him. He smiled warmly at her.

"I have something to tell you Hermione, and it's hard for me, alright?" She nodded. "You've been the only constant in my life for the last seven years now. I've tried to push you away, and you wouldn't let me. I've tried to protect you, just as you've done the same for me. I wish that you'd never gotten hurt because of me, but you're still here despite everything.

"What I'm trying to say is two-fold. First off, thank you so much for sticking with me. You could have walked away anytime, and I would have let you because what you want is so much more important to me than my own wishes.

"Secondly, your Mum convinced me that I had something even more important to tell you." He gulped and gathered his courage. "I'm in love with you, Hermione. I have been for a very long time now. I just didn't understand what it was until I talked with your Mum. I need you in my life, and I'm not going to take no for an answer this time."

He leaned in and kissed her, softly, gently, and as only someone completely, utterly in love can. Very shortly after his lips met hers, she was returning his kiss, her passion causing his to rise and meet it. The both of them were completely oblivious to the fact that her mother was sitting there witnessing the entire thing.

A small cough startled them out of their self-imposed world. They looked at each other and then at her mother, sheepish expressions on their faces. With a giggle, Hermione gripped his hand in hers. He leaned in and whispered softly, so that only her newly enhanced hearing could pick up.

"Marry me."

**Author's Note: **Just a little plot bunny that wouldn't die. I had to put it down in writing. I hope you liked it. I don't think it was my best effort, but sometimes you've got to write it or it drives you nuts.


	2. All Things Great and Small

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. Blantant rip-off from Chumbawumba used without remorse...

**Chapter Two: All Things Great and Small**

Hermione Granger was in a right state. It was two days before her wedding to the love of her life, and instead of dealing with a hundred small things, she had one large thing to worry about: Harry Potter had taken ill.

She had reluctantly delegated the responsibility of preparing for the wedding to her mother as she labored to keep Harry going. It had started innocently enough a few days before: he had complained of a headache, and his leg was bothering him.

The problem became more pronounced the next day. Harry could barely get out of bed, and when he did so his vision swam. When he couldn't make it to the loo, Hermione knew that there was something seriously wrong. Harry was relegated to his bed now, with a fever that raged within him. She reached down and gently patted his forehead with a cool, damp cloth.

Her mother, of course, wanted to delay the wedding until he was better. Hermione had thought long and hard about it, but if there was any way for them to accomplish this wedding, she was determined to take the chance. She knew in her heart that Harry wanted the same thing. He was just too weak at the moment to say so.

She had spent most of her spare moments brewing potion after potion, but her most involved magical scans refused to show just what was wrong with Harry. Without that knowledge, it was hit or miss with her tries at curing him. It was possible, she supposed, that she could actually do more harm than good with her efforts, and that worried her mightily.

Hermione decided that she had done all that she could without getting more rest, so she took the moment to transfigure her outfit into one more appropriate for bed. She got in next to her love, and as she laid down next to him she placed a soft kiss on his forehead before draping an arm over him and drifting off to sleep.

*0*0*

Jean Granger sat in the chair and watched the young man that she fervently hoped would shortly become her son-in-law. She was almost out of her mind with worry, for Harry was most certainly not getting better. It seemed that whatever it was that he was fighting, it was draining the energy from him. If Hermione didn't find the cure soon, well, Jean despaired of what might happen.

There was a small cracking sound in the corner of the room, and Jean was startled out of her thoughts. She looked over in surprise to see a small creature, almost a little caricature of a man. He was dressed in a small set of robes, and he had a mismatched pair of socks on. His eyes were humongous, reminding Jean of a character from one of those Japanese cartoons that she had seen on the telly once. His ears were almost as disproportionate as well.

"Hello…" Jean said softly. She didn't know why, but she didn't think that there was anything threatening about the little fellow. If anything, he seemed to be staring almost reverently at her daughter and Harry.

"Hello Miss Grangy's Mother, I is Dobby," the little fellow said. "Master Harry Potter is sick, Dobby could feel it! Dobby is stopping his working and is coming to see Master Harry Potter. Would it be alright if Dobby is trying to find out what is wrong with Master Harry Potter?"

"If you think you could, I know that Hermione needs to know what's wrong so that she can help him. Can you really find out what's wrong with him without hurting him?" she asked, trying hard not to get her hopes up.

"Yes, Miss, Dobby can be doing it. House elves can be finding out what's wrong with their masters. House elves have very strong magics, they do," he said while bouncing up and down on his toes.

"Then go right ahead," Jean said softly. If this Dobby could help him, well, that would be a real Godsend…

Dobby hopped up on the bed and placed a hand on Harry's forehead. The young man moaned in his sleep, and Dobby's chin quivered ever so slightly at the sound. His tiny hand began to glow, and soon the glow engulfed Harry. Dobby suddenly let go as if he had been burned and stumbled back on the bed.

At that moment Hermione woke with a little "eep." She looked up sleepily to see Dobby sitting on the bed and she gave the little elf a smile. "Hello Dobby," she said in her whispering voice. "It's good to see you again."

"Miss Grangy!" Dobby cried. "Master Harry Potter is very ill! Very dark magic is at work here! Dobby thinks that he knows what is wrong, but I wants to be talking with you about it before I does anything."

Hermione reached over and grabbed one of his little hands and nodded for him to proceed.

"First, you's must be thinking back to when you two fought the bad snake-man. Master Harry Potter was hurt then, and the bad snake-man hit him with a curse…"

Hermione looked at her Mum's curious expression. She decided that she could take a couple of minutes to describe what had happened.

_The fight had been raging for more than an hour now. Harry and Hermione had managed to hold off everything that Voldemort had been able to throw at them, but they hadn't been able to crack his defenses. He was simply too powerful for either of them to get through. _

_Harry dodged a killing curse that Voldemort had flung his way. He could tell that the dark wizard was getting tired, but so were he and Hermione. Sooner or later one of them would make a mistake, and the fight would end quickly after that. _

_There was a loud crack behind him and he spun to look, erecting the most powerful shield around himself that he could as he did so. Thankfully, it was only Dobby, having finally found a way around the anti-apparition wards that had been erected. He spun back towards Voldemort to see him cast a dark black curse at Hermione. He screamed out wordlessly and dove in front of the curse. It was easy, just like catching the snitch in Quidditch. He intercepted the curse that had been meant for her. His ears rung from the impact on his shield as he felt the opposing magics war against each other. _

_Voldemort must have put all he had left into the curse, for Harry's shield splintered like so much kindling. The curse impacted on his chest, throwing him backwards. He felt for a moment like his lungs were on fire, and his vision swam, but somewhere within him he summoned magic from his core and fought for all he was worth. His shield must have weakened the curse, because he could feel the effects dissipating._

_Dobby let out a scream. "No-one hurts Harry Potter!" He blasted the Dark Lord right off of his feet. He continued to batter at Voldemort's defenses as Harry staggered to his feet. Harry felt a rage the likes of which he had never before felt. "Solis Flamma!" He shouted and from the tip of his wand there grew a great glowing sphere. It shimmered for a moment, becoming brighter and brighter, and then a beam of coherent light shot forth and ripped right through the Dark Lord. _

_Voldemort sunk to his knees, but somehow he still managed to keep from toppling over dead from the gaping wound in his torso. He looked up just in time to see Hermione reach up in the air and grab the Sword of Gryffindor that had materialized there. The blade glowed a brilliant blue, and she swung it in a great arc that intercepted the spot just between his head and his shoulders. The most evil dark lord that the world had ever seen departed this plane of existence as his head rolled on the ground, a look of utter surprise in his still open eyes._

"The dark curse that the bad snake-man hit Master Harry Potter with couldn't hurt my master because he is being too strong, but it waited, oh yes it did. It waited and it combined with the cursed magic in Master Harry Potter's leg, and now it has grown too strong for him to fight it." Dobby had tears in his eyes by now, and he saw that Hermione did as well.

"Dobby!" Hermione shrieked. "Is there nothing that can be done for him?" She looked at the little elf, hope fading from her eyes.

"Dobby can be helping , Miss Grangy, but Dobby is being scared too."

Hermione looked down at him and cocked her head to the side. She started considering possibilities, and with a shriek she started shaking her head. "No! I forbid it, Dobby!"

"Miss Grangy, please," the little elf pleaded. "Dobby can be doing this, please let Dobby help Master Harry Potter." He wrung his hands together. "Dobby is being missing his Winky, and Dobby thinks that this way, he can be with his Winky again, and save his master. If Dobby gives his magic to Master Harry Potter, then when his master bonds with Miss Grangy, Dobby and Winky will be a part of that bond. I's being bonded with my Winky in this life and the next…" He looked at Hermione with tears in his eyes…

Before she lost sight of the little elf through the tears, in desperation Hermione nodded at him, giving him her silent permission.

Dobby crawled up next to Harry and knelt beside him. He placed one little hand on Harry's forehead, and one on his heart. A warm red glow began to pass from the elf to the wizard, and Hermione heard Harry let out a small sigh…

**Author's Note: **Just one more chapter to go on this one, and then we're done. I was going to end it here, but I think that one more would be appropriate.


End file.
